oh, my love, don't forsake me
by nevershoutallison
Summary: Shivers wracked her body and her teeth chattered. It was like she was being frozen from the inside out, slowly but surely and there was nothing she could do to stop it / Their second winter on Earth, Clarke doesn't come back from a trip outside the gates. Bellamy goes looking for her. Established Bellarke. Slight angst. Three-shot.
1. part i

[**_Author's Note:_** _**This is my first time writing for The 100 fandom…fingers crossed! This is something that came to my mind a while ago, so it doesn't necessarily follow what's happening on the show as of late.**_

_**Big thank you to **runwiththenight **for all the help on this. I couldn't have done this without you continuously boosting my confidence and reassuring me. Everyone should just go ahead and put her on your alert list because she has some epic stuff planned and she's so amazing.**_

_**This will be a three-shot. Hopefully you guys like it enough to stick around until the end. Here we go!]**_

**Summary: **Shivers wracked her body and her teeth chattered. It was like she was being frozen from the inside out, slowly but surely and there was nothing she could do to stop it / Their second winter on Earth, Clarke doesn't come back from a trip outside the gates. Bellamy goes looking for her. Established Bellarke. Three-shot.

**Disclaimer: I do not own The 100 or any of the songs used.**

* * *

**oh, my love, don't forsake me**

i.

_It's not a silly little moment.  
__It's not the storm before the calm.  
__This is the deep and dying breath of this love that we've been working on.  
__"__Slow Dancing In a Burning Room" – John Mayer_

* * *

She was cold.

Freezing, actually, if she was honest with herself. Shivers wracked her body and her teeth chattered. It was like she was being frozen from the inside out, slowly but surely and there was nothing she could do to stop it. Her limbs were heavy – so heavy she couldn't even lift her hand far enough to brush her blonde hair out of her face. The wet strands clung to her, covering her cheeks and her neck and they were becoming stiff as the water began to freeze, the snow falling down on her doing absolutely nothing to help her. The blood had stopped flowing from both the gash on her head and the wound on her leg, and she almost missed the warmth that accompanied the red substance as it trailed down her face and gathered underneath her wet pant leg. Her eyelids fluttered and it took everything in her to open them again – to not give up just yet.

The wind started again and Clarke's shaking got worse, the movement physically hurting her because of how frozen she felt. She wished she could curl up and somehow conserve her body heat instead of remain in her sprawled out position against the rocks, cold water from the river sloshing up and hitting her every few moments. She felt paralyzed. Her joints were locked and unresponsive and twitching at their own will as her body tried to create heat for itself.

It was funny, or perhaps ironic, really, that this is how she was going to finally succumb to death. She had survived being sent to Earth and everything she had faced as consequence. The wounds she had now were survivable if treated properly. The hypothermia is what was ultimately going to kill her.

She had to make a trip for seaweed. They were running low, and she knew there would be fewer opportunities to venture beyond the gates to get some as winter progressed. She had come out with one of the guards – Sam, she remembered. He was one of the newer guards that had been appointed when things got busier around camp. Bellamy barely trusted him, but he trusted her. With how hectic things were at camp now that their second winter was upon them, it hadn't taken much to convince him to let her go.

"It will be quick, Bell, an hour or two tops," she had told him, a mix of a plea and determination in her eye. "I'll take a guard with me," she bargained even further.

"Jesus Christ, Princess," he had groaned. He had drug a hand down his face and let out a sigh that she recognized as defeated. The look he had given her confirmed that. He had taken a step forward, trapping her body against the table with his own and cupping her face in her hands.

"You'll take a guard with you?"

"Yes."

He had kissed her then, soft yet somehow still urgent. "Please be safe."

She squeezed his biceps where her hands had been resting, stretching up on her toes to kiss him again.

"Always."

Then she had gone, leaving him behind.

Bellamy.

She closed her eyes because the mere thought of him brought so many regrets to the surface – so many "what ifs" and reflections on missed opportunities and just _not enough time_. She was going to die and they had so many plans they hadn't been able to go through with yet – so many ideas for their future. They had so much they wanted to do with the camp and _together. _She wanted that future with him.

But she was going to die.

She hears something in the distance – the stomping of feet in the snow covered leaves of the forest floor, accompanied by muffled voices.

Was it Grounders?

The 100 Camp had been on civil terms with the Grounders for a while now. They weren't exactly _friendly_, but they were allies because they knew they could benefit each other. There were still the occasional hostile interactions though, with Grounders who didn't quite agree with their leaders agreement to a peace treaty. Would they find her and kill her before she had the opportunity to freeze to death?

Part of her wished they would.

Her body had begun to go numb now and her shaking slowly came to a halt. In the back of her mind, the small part that was still lucid enough to think and process, she knew her body was shutting down. She gasped for breath and the cold air she sucked in made her feel like she was swallowing razor blades, but it didn't hurt as much as it had before.

How long had she been here now?

The journey had been going so smoothly. Maybe that should have been her first clue that something was going to go terribly wrong. They left just past midday and it had taken less than an hour to gather two full bags of seaweed that Sam had graciously carried on his back for her as they walked back toward camp. They made idle conversation and moved at a steady pace. They were less than a mile away from camp.

Then it all went to hell.

A pair of mutated wolves had appeared from the thick greenery of the forest, and before Sam could even move his gun from where it rested on his shoulder, they had pounced. He had yelled at her to run as he started to do the same. Only they had gotten separated in the midst of their panic, one mutation trailing after each of them. It had just clamped onto her leg with its teeth when she found herself falling.

As she crashed into the freezing water, she remembered the multitude of injuries she had dealt with caused by members of the 100 not seeing the slope she had just fell victim to – it was well hidden in the forest and one wouldn't see it unless paying close attention for it. If they were quick, they could catch themselves on a tree root before tumbling down the steepest hill they had encountered on Earth so far. If not, well, they were in for an impromptu bath. She and Bellamy had quickly decided that no one was to wonder in this direction during the winter – it was too dangerous.

She could validate why they had agreed to that, now.

The current in the small little river was strong, and the bite on her leg slowed her motions down. She was slammed into the jagged rocks lining the cliff. Her ears rung and she had momentarily lost her vision as her temple took the brunt of the impact. The grip she had on a tree root slipped and she was submerged in the icy water again, fighting to break to the surface and stay there. The mutated wolf that had put her in this situation was facing the same struggle she was just three or four feet away.

After what seemed like forever, she had finally been able to drag herself partially on top of one of the bigger rocks lining the body of water. The time she had spent in the below freezing water, though, was already taking a toll on her body.

She didn't know how much time had passed since then. But it was dark now and she was almost comfortable. Her body was still, and she couldn't even feel the cold. Her eyes stayed closed for longer than they did opened.

"Fuck!"

Her mind was playing tricks on her, she knew. The healer in her was aware that her brain wasn't getting the oxygen it needed. She'd hallucinated before, but this was different. She knew that voice and even if it wasn't real, even if it was just a figment of her imagination, she wanted it closer.

"God damnit, where are you?"

_Silly boy,_ she thought, _you never shout in the forest. There are enemies in the forest. _

But this was just in her mind, so it was okay, she guessed. But he was still too far away and she was desperate for his nearness. She opened her mouth to call out for him, but nothing more than a whisper escaped. She closed her eyes and concentrated for a moment or two. Then she used every bit of strength her body still possessed to whistle as loudly as she could, which wasn't that loud at all.

But everything stopped.

A moment passed.

And then…

"Clarke!"

She heard the sound of running footsteps and the sliding of boots against dirt coming toward her. Then there were hands on her face. The voices were louder now and surrounding her, but all she could focus on was the familiar touch she would know anywhere.

"Bellamy." It was said in nothing more than a whisper, a prayer, and she wondered if this was whatever higher power was out there's way of paying her back for every hardship she's ever had to endure since arriving on Earth.

"I'm here. Oh God, Princess, I'm here."

A ghost of a smile touched her lips and she sighed happily, closing her eyes.

"Princess, look at me. No, Clarke, open your eyes. Clarke!"

_It's okay_, she wanted to soothe him, but darkness greeted her and she went willingly, the feel of Bellamy's fingertips trailing her skin, his lips pressing to her face, and his voice in her ear welcoming her.

* * *

**It would be a huge help and motivation for part 2 if I could get some reviews. **

**Thanks loves xx**


	2. part ii

_**[Author's Note: Thank you so much for all the reviews, alerts, and favorites! You guys are the best. Hope you enjoy part 2 as much as you enjoyed the first one!]**_

**Summary: **Shivers wracked her body and her teeth chattered. It was like she was being frozen from the inside out, slowly but surely and there was nothing she could do to stop it / Their second winter on Earth, Clarke doesn't come back from a trip outside the gates. Bellamy goes looking for her. Established Bellarke. Three-shot.

**Disclaimer: I do not own The 100 or any of the songs used.**

* * *

**oh, my love, don't forsake me**

ii.

_The fabric of your flesh, pure as a wedding dress,  
__Until I wrap myself inside your arms I cannot rest.  
__The saints can't help me now – the ropes have been unbound.  
__I hunt for you with bloody feet across the hallow'd ground.  
__"__Howl" – Florence and The Machine_

* * *

"It's been over four hours. I'm going looking for her."

"She's a big girl, Bellamy," Octavia threw in from where she was perched against a table in the communications hut where they were gathered. "They probably just had to go a little further than normal. And she took Sam with her."

"That punk?" He turned to Miller, "Why didn't you go with her?"

His second in command arched an eyebrow. "I was helping you with the building projects on the east side of camp. Why didn't YOU go with her?"

Bellamy scowled and opened his mouth to bite out a response when several shouts erupted from outside of the wooden structure. He heard calls of his name and took off out of the door, running toward the commotion at the gates. His heart stopped in his chest when he noticed two of the guards guiding a bloodied Sam through camp.

"Bellamy," the teenager gasped out when he caught site of the dark haired leader coming toward him. Through the overwhelming pain he was feeling he still visibly gulped at the fierce look on his face.

"What happened?" Bellamy asked when he was within reach, "Where is she?"

"We got separated," Sam groaned through gritted teeth, "I'm so sorry."

"We need to get him into medical, Bellamy."

"Our healer isn't here! He was supposed to be with her!" He yelled. He didn't give anybody a chance to argue with him before he rounded back on the light haired guard that was supposed to be escorting Clarke on her trip today; the guard that returned without her. "Where the hell is Clarke, Sam?"

"There was a pair of wolves – mutants, I think. They came at us out of nowhere and when we ran we got separated." He hissed through his teeth when he shifted between the guards that were holding him up. There was blood seeping through his torn shirt at the shoulder and at his torso. "I struggled with the wolf that had chased me before I managed to kill it and drag myself back here. We were less than a mile away when it happened. I don't know which way she ran but I don't – I don't think she could have gone far."

The unspoken implication of what could have prohibited her from escaping made Bellamy see red and his blood to run cold as he took a step forward, towering over the injured teenager.

His voice was menacing as he spoke, more so than anyone had ever heard before. "If something happened to her, I will _end_ you. Do you understand me? You're _dead._"

Sam nodded with his head bowed in shame. "I'm sorry, Bellamy."

"You will be," he promised him before sneering at the two that were holding him up. "Get him to the med bay. I don't care who treats him or if anybody does at all. Just get him the hell out of my sight."

They were quick to follow their orders, guiding Sam away from the crowd and toward the drop ship.

"Lincoln, you know these woods in the dark." It wasn't a question, but the Grounder nodded his head from his place beside Octavia.

"I've traveled through them for my entire life."

"You, Miller and Raven are with me. We'll go west. Jasper, Monty and Murphy will go east."

"I'm coming with you," Octavia insisted. Everyone held his or her breath in anticipation for the verbal sparring that usually occurred when Octavia tried to volunteer herself for missions when her brother had initially left her out. Looks of surprise traveled among the members of camp when none came, and suddenly the severity of the situation was that much more intense.

"Fine. O's with us. Raven, go east. Someone get medical supplies and anything she may need. We leave camp in five, no exceptions."

"Bell-"

But Bellamy was already going toward his hut. He threw the door open and stormed inside. When Octavia trailed in behind him not even a minute later he was standing in the middle of the small room, staring blankly at the table. She followed his line of vision to see the old and tattered notebook he had found that he gifted to Clarke months ago.

"What's this?" She had asked when he dropped it in front of her while she sat at her desk in the med bay. Bellamy had just shrugged his shoulders.

"For your art. You use all the paper we have for stuff dealing with camp. I figured you could use something just for you."

She had kissed him for the first time then, one hand tangled in his hair and the other clutching the book to her chest.

She had treated it like a treasure ever since. She had left it on the table before falling asleep beside him the night before.

Octavia rested a hand on Bellamy's back, drawing him out of the memory. "We'll find her, Bellamy."

"We don't have a choice, O. I can't-" He took a deep breath against the lump that was forming in his throat and the mist appearing in his dark eyes.

_I can't do this without her. _

"I know," his younger sister, his reason for being here in the first place, responded. He didn't have to verbalize anything for her to understand what he was saying – she knew him well enough to know exactly what was going through his head. She stepped around him to grab the gun he kept by the bed. She shook her head as she passed it to him. "You won't have to."

* * *

They had been searching for Clarke for close to an hour with no luck. Raven had radioed them a while ago that they had found the wolf and the gun that Sam had used to kill it and had dropped, but no sign of their blonde haired blue-eyed healer. It was like a knife was plunged into Bellamy's heart, twisting deeper with every passing moment.

"We'll find her," Octavia told him for what seemed like the millionth time. "We-"

"Shut UP, Octavia," Bellamy finally snapped, stopping and turning to face her. He didn't miss how Lincoln took a protective step in front of her. He knew his sister was just trying to reassure him, to somehow comfort him, but that stopped working when she started sounding like she didn't believe it herself anymore.

"Bellamy…"

"Just stop, okay? Please. Please just stop."

His voice cracked when he spoke. He ran a hand through his hair as he worked on keeping his breathing even. Images of Clarke overwhelmed him when he closed his eyes. God, he loved her. He loved the way she smiled and the way she laughed and how she always seemed to smell a little bit like flowers and he loved the constant determination in her eyes and the way she cared so much about so many and how somehow he had managed to take up the biggest space her heart had to offer. He loved _everything. _

They had plans, damnit. They had whispered conversations while they lay tangled up together in the middle of the night – conversations about their hopes and their dreams for this still mysterious world they had landed in. Earth threw curve balls at them on a daily basis, but they were _together_ and they would figure everything out _together. _They couldn't do that if she wasn't here.

"Fuck!" Bellamy tugged at his hair as he yelled, choking on the sob that bubbled up in his throat. "God damnit, where are you?"

Octavia stepped around Lincoln and moved toward her brother. She reached out for him and had just spoke his name when a soft, barely there sound caught all of their attention and had their eyes moving toward the restricted part of the forest.

"Did you guys…?" Miller trailed off, almost afraid to ask. Then a slightly louder but still quiet whistle met their ears, and four pairs of eyes widened before they all took off running.

"Clarke!"

Bellamy barely registered the rough terrain the hill presented him as he slid down it. He got his footing before he could plunge into the water and fell to his knees beside the still body spread out across the rocks. He cupped her face in his hands immediately and almost hissed at how cold she was.

"Bellamy," she breathed, and he swore it was the most beautiful thing he'd ever heard.

"I'm here," he told her, "Oh God, Princess, I'm here."

He pressed several kisses to her face before his eyes raked over her form frantically, cataloguing her injuries. He hadn't had more than a moment to do so when he heard her sigh and he snapped his eyes back to her face. Her eyes were closed.

"Princess, look at me. No, Clarke, open your eyes. Clarke!"

He shook her, lightly tapping on her face to try and get some sort of response.

But she was still. Her chest was barely rising and falling with breaths and her pulse was weak when he felt for it at her neck. No. _No._ "Don't you dare do this to me, Princess."

"She's cold as ice," Lincoln said when he leant down to feel her forehead. "She must have been lying here for hours. The hypothermia has already well set in. She needs warmth. Now."

The Grounder wasn't even finished with his statement before Bellamy was rising on his knees to rip his jacket off of him. His quick motion set off a chain reaction and soon Miller was doing the same. Octavia followed close behind.

"We need to get her out of these clothes," Lincoln continued.

"Won't undressing her defeat the purpose?" Miller asked as he wrestled to get his coat off.

"He's right. Her clothes are wet and they're literally freezing to her skin," Octavia said. She reached forward to undo the button on Clarke's jeans while Bellamy got to work on tugging off the jacket and shirt clinging to her skin.

"Turn around," Bellamy demanded, because hell no would he be letting Miller or Lincoln witness Clarke with no clothes on. _Fuck that. _

"Do you really-"

"I said turn around."

Knowing the tone of his voice was not to be messed with, both men averted their eyes respectfully.

Octavia hissed when she finally managed to drag the denim material off of Clarke's thin legs. The struggle with the material had caused the blood to start flowing from the bite on her leg that had gone unnoticed until now. "She got bit, Bellamy. Her leg."

"Here," Lincoln spoke before Bellamy could, throwing her a wrap from the pack they had brought. "Wrap it. It'll have to work until we get her back to camp and properly treated."

"C'mon Princess," Bellamy begged as he wrapped her in first Octavia's jacket, then Millers and then his own. "You can't do this to me. You can't leave me."

The three others around him tried to ignore the obvious distress in his voice – the pain and the worry forming an anguished tone that they had not yet heard come from the normally stoic and strong man before. Everyone knew of the romantic relationship that had formed between the two unofficial leaders of the 100. But to hear that suffering as clear as day in Bellamy's voice at the knowledge of Clarke being hurt was a clear indicator that no one in camp had any idea how deep his or her feelings for the other truly ran.

"Put these on her," Octavia said once she tied off the bandage on Clarke's leg and stood up to shimmy out of her pants, "I'll wear hers back to camp. Hurry."

Bellamy slid the material up Clarke's legs with trembling hands. As soon as he finished the task he stood with her in his arms.

None of them had thought about how truly steep the hill was when they had slid down it. They had all been solely focused on getting to Clarke. Halfway up Octavia had to drop to start pushing herself off with her hands. Lincoln was a permanent presence behind her, catching her every time she started to slide backwards. Miller started copying her actions, as he got higher. Bellamy was slightly behind them with Clarke securely in his arms. His grip on her was unwavering no matter the struggle he was feeling making it up the steep incline.

Miller was the first to make it to flat ground again. He huffed a breathe of relief before dropping to his stomach and reaching his hands out for Octavia. He grunted when the younger Blake sibling finally managed to grab his hands. Lincoln pushed her up as he pulled, and it didn't take long before she was falling to the ground beside him.

"We can drag her up," he called out, already holding out his hand. Octavia rolled to her stomach and did the same. "We just need you to get her within reaching distance."

Lincoln backtracked to where he was. In the back of his mind Bellamy respected that the Grounder didn't try to take Clarke from him, nor insist he needed assistance. Instead he wrapped an arm around his back to provide the balance he was losing and helped propel forward. They were almost within reaching distance when the rock Bellamy's foot had stepped on moved under his weight, nearly sending him and Clarke to the ground.

"Help me lift her," he said through gritted teeth. He was getting Clarke up this hill no matter what, even if it meant asking Lincoln, of all people, for help. His pride didn't matter when it came to her.

Both men had a knee firmly planted in the dirt, hands on either side of Clarke's body as they pushed her as far as they could manage. There was about two feet separating her from the outstretched hands waiting to drag her body the rest of the way up.

"Get my legs," Octavia said. She waited until Miller had a firm grip on her before she slid down the hill on her stomach, Miller inching her down until she called for him to stop. Her hips were teetering on the edge and he held tight to her so she couldn't tumble down. Octavia flailed for a moment before finally latching onto Clarke's freezing wrists. "One of you get up to help him!"

Lincoln adjusted his hold so the majority of the blonde's weight rested in his hold. "Go."

Bellamy scrambled the rest of the way up the hill, grunting in exertion and having to catch his footing on several occasions before tumbling to the ground beside Miller.

"Ready?"

As soon as O and Lincoln called their affirmative, the two men began pulling. As soon as Octavia's body was back fully on the flat forest ground, they each latched onto one of Clarke's arms and pulled her up. She was back in Bellamy's arms immediately, as close to his body as he could manage. He breathed a sigh of relief when he felt the light tickle of her breath against his neck. He rose to his feet when Miller and Octavia helped the last of them onto the level ground.

Lincoln draped his coat over Clarke's legs, tucking the material between her body and Bellamy's to keep it secure. "Quickly," he said, grabbing Octavia's hand in his own as they began moving. "We have to get her back."

"I got you Princess," Bellamy murmured into Clarke's hair. He placed a kiss to the crown of her head as he swiftly moved in the direction of camp. "I'm not letting you go."

* * *

**Let me know what you thought! One more part to go! xx**


	3. part iii

_**[Author's Note: The last part of this little story of mine. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, favorited, followed and read! It means so much to me. To my darling **runwiththenight**, thank you for continuously being awesome and dealing with my craziness xx**_

_**Hope you guys enjoy this!]**_

**Summary: **Shivers wracked her body and her teeth chattered. It was like she was being frozen from the inside out, slowly but surely and there was nothing she could do to stop it / Their second winter on Earth, Clarke doesn't come back from a trip outside the gates. Bellamy goes looking for her. Established Bellarke. Three-shot.

**Disclaimer: I do not own The 100 or any of the songs used.**

* * *

**oh, my love, don't forsake me**

iii.

_And all of the steps that led me to you  
__And all of the hell I had to walk through  
__But I wouldn't trade a day for the chance to say  
__My love, I'm in love with you.  
__"__The Words" – Christina Perri_

* * *

Clarke couldn't remember a moment when she felt as tired as she did now. Her limbs were heavy and it felt like there were weights on her eyelids when she tried to open them. There was a pressing feeling in her chest that was uncomfortable at best and her breathing came in short puffs of air instead of long, easy exhales. She shivered slightly and snuggled back into the warmth surrounding her. She was buried in a mountain of blankets but there was something else – an extra weight lying across her waist and increased warmth pressed against her left side.

_Bellamy. _

She fought against the weight and opened her eyes. The little breath she had caught in her throat when her vision finally cleared enough to make him out clearly. He was really here, and the only explanation she could come up with was that he had somehow found her and saved her.

He saved her.

She felt tears well up in her eyes and she wasn't strong enough to stop them from falling.

Oh God, she loved him.

Worry lines creased his forehead. She didn't like it. He was usually so peaceful in his sleep. Sleep was where they escaped the harsh reality they dealt with – only sometimes reality carried into their dreams. Nightmares plagued them sometimes. She could guess what he was dreaming about tonight. She reached to smooth the lines away and he started awake at her touch.

"Hey," she whispered. Her eyes were burning with tears and her voice was hoarse and her throat was dry, but she managed to send him a weak smile.

"Shit, Princess."

Before Clarke could process what was happening, she was pulled tighter against his chest and her face was buried in his neck. She used the hand she had used to touch his face to reach up and tangle in his hair. Her tears came a little quicker at the desperate embrace he had her in. Bellamy held her for a long moment before he allowed himself to pull back far enough to look at her.

She could tell the moment he noticed her tears. "What's wrong?" he asked, "Are you hurting?"

Clarke shook her head, "You saved me."

His face softened instantly and he squeezed her hip. "Silly Princess," he murmured, brushing a kiss across her forehead before breathing out the rest of his statement, "I'll always save you."

She opened her mouth to respond to him when a violent coughing fit took over. More tears sprung to her eyes at the pain that radiated through her chest and throat. She gasped to try and catch her breath, only to be overcome by another fit. Bellamy helped her sit up before jumping off of the bed and going to the water basin in the corner of the room. His movements were quick and fluid as he filled the small cup and returned to her side. He tilted the cup slowly as to not overwhelm her with the fluid.

"There you go," he whispered when she successfully drained half of the cup. He set it off to the side and cupped her face. He wiped away the wetness on her cheeks with his thumbs. "Good?"

Clarke nodded and took slow breaths, trying not to induce another round of hacking.

Bellamy sighed as he leant forward to press his forehead against her temple. "You scared the hell out of me."

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault. If that idiot that went with you-"

"Sam!" Clarke exclaimed. The sudden outburst caused another round of coughing. Bellamy added it to the reasons why he hated the guard he had kicked out of the med bay as soon as he walked in with Clarke.

"Is he okay?"

"The bastard is fine. Don't talk." He rubbed soothing circles on her back and reached for the cup of water. When she finished drinking it she was still shaking. He pulled one of the fallen blankets up around her shoulders.

"I probably have Pneumonia."

"That's what Octavia said."

"What about Sam?"

The scowl on her co-leaders face deepened. "Someone stitched him up after we left to look for you. He'll be fine."

"I should-"

"You're out of your mind if you think I'm going to let you look him over."

"How did you know what I was going to say?"

He didn't have to respond. The look he gave her screamed his answer.

_Because I know you, Princess. _

"Lay back down."

Clarke nodded, deciding not to argue with him. She knew it wouldn't do her any good. "Join me," she said instead.

"We should probably let the masses know you're awake."

"I just want it to be you and me for a little bit, if that's okay."

She held the blankets up and stared up at him until he complied. He pulled her against him before drawing the covers up so only her head was visible. She was still shivering. "How long was I out?"

"We found you a little over a day ago. You woke up a few times," he said softly, moving blonde hair away from her forehead and trailing his fingers down her pale cheek.

"I don't remember."

"You were delusional."

Clarke's brow furrowed as she studied the look on his face. It was contemplative and maybe a little bit apprehensive. Fear blended with worry, and there was an underlying look of hurt that passed over. She wondered what it was she could have done to cause such a mix. "Sharing is caring, you know."

Bellamy laced their fingers together and brought them up to kiss the back of her hand. "You were pushing me away at first, when you woke up on the way back to camp. You said you felt hot, but you were ice cold."

"That's common among hypothermia patients."

He nodded absentmindedly. "Even when we finally got you here…you wouldn't stop struggling against me. You were begging me to let you go – to get away from you."

Clarke inhaled a small gasp of air and shook her head. "Bellamy…"

"I knew you weren't in your right state of mind. But it was terrifying seeing you like that and knowing there wasn't anything I could do to help you."

"But you did. I would be dead-"

"Don't."

Clarke sighed and squeezed his hand. "Bell-"

"I thought you were dead, Clarke. I didn't think I would be able to find you and then I did. I will never get the image of you lying there against the rocks, barely breathing and _so fucking cold_, out of my head. I will never be comfortable with your safety in anyone else's hands but my own. I'm not risking feeling like that again."

He took a deep, shaky breath and closed his eyes. She stayed quiet, knowing he needed to get all of this off of his chest and knowing that these soul-baring moments were few and far between

"I felt like I lost part of my soul. Part of my heart. I felt like I was lost and I would never be whole again. I never want to feel that way again."

A moment of silence swept over the med bay. Clarke stared intently at him and the torment that she saw in his eyes broke her head. She moved so their bodies were flush against each other, their legs tangled and their breaths mingling. She held onto him tighter than maybe she ever has.

"I love you, Princess. You know that don't you?" The question was mumbled into her hair, but she heard it all the same and nodded against his chest. "I can't do any of this without you, okay? I don't _want_ to do any of this without you. I need you."

"I need you back," she whispered. She tilted her head back and he met her lips in a kiss. It was short and sweet, but packed full with reassurance, love, and a promise to never let go.

He pulled away before she could go into another coughing fit and pressed his lips to her forehead.

"I love you," she said, "I'm not going anywhere."

"I would find you if you did," he swore. His arms tightened around her. "I'll always find you."

Clarke pressed a kiss to the spot directly above his beating heart.

She knew it wasn't an empty promise. And she knew without a doubt that she would always find him, too.

_**fin. **_

* * *

**_And that's all she wrote! Thanks guys. It's been fun! _**

**_Don't forget to drop a review! _**

**_xx_**


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